If you’re thinking about selling your house this spring, odds are that you’re thinking about making some home improvements now. The question is, which ones pay off the most?

The kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where everyone gathers and it’s important that it be an inviting space. Kitchens are also the part of the home that’s most likely to look dated and obsolete. If you’re going to invest anything in updating your home, the kitchen is probably the first place you should look.

Kitchen remodels also tend to be very costly. Fortunately, there are tricks that can save you. Instead of installing new counters, resurface your existing counters. You can use materials that are applied like paint or you can tile over a roughed-up Formica surface. Add a fancy backsplash, paint your cabinets and add new hardware. Used stainless steel appliances are likely to more than return your investment when you sell.

The bathrooms

After the kitchen, bathrooms are the biggest buyer offenders. That blue toilet, blue tile and blue sink might have been cool in the early 1970s, but it just screams for a remodel today. If you don’t do something to improve it, the buyer will look at it as an expense.

Some simple upgrades can make even the most dated bathroom shine again. You can retile and replace the bathtub, but there are also solutions that cover the surfaces and make them look like new. While those solutions can cost, they’re much more affordable than fully redoing the bathroom and they take less time and work.

If your bathroom just needs a little sprucing up, new faucets and bathtub fixtures can make a big difference for a little investment.

The flooring

Flooring is one of those things that is a must-do for some homeowners trying to sell and a little less necessary for others. It depends on the condition of your floors and the expectations for your price point. If your carpet comes from 1978, it probably should be replaced no matter what. Brand new carpet will make your home look and feel so much better. If the floors are 5 to 10 years old, you can probably shampoo them and make them look good enough to make a buyer smile.

Replacing floors can be expensive. Make sure you need to do it before you make the investment.

If you’re thinking about selling your Colorado Springs home, contact the knowledgeable Realtors at MountainPeaks Real Estate. We can offer guidance to help you make the best impression on buyers.